The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has honored legendary Italian actor Franco Nero with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Motion Pictures category. The star ceremony took place during the eleventh edition of Filming Italy – Los Angeles, founded and directed by Tiziana Rocca.
This recognition marks a particularly important milestone for Filming Italy – Los Angeles, which has now contributed to three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame dedicated to Italian artists. Nero follows Gina Lollobrigida, honored in 2018 on the occasion of her 90th birthday, and Giancarlo Giannini, awarded in 2023.
Tiziana Rocca, Artistic Director of Filming Italy – Los Angeles, stated, “It has been a great satisfaction to be the promoter, with my festival Filming Italy – Los Angeles, of this third Italian star dedicated to the great Franco Nero on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is a truly deserved honor. For years, Filming Italy has collaborated with the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which since 1953 promotes and supports the Walk of Fame, the famous street dedicated to cinema, born to maintain its glory. Already in 2018, in fact, Filming Italy had managed to obtain this recognition for the extraordinary Gina Lollobrigida and in 2023 for Giancarlo Giannini. The awarding of this star to Franco Nero is a milestone for the entire Italian cinematic culture.”
Senator Lucia Borgonzoni, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Culture, commented, “Dedicating a star today to Franco Nero on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a tribute to a career spanning over sixty years, which has left an indelible mark on international cinema. His experience and professionalism have brought Italian cinema to screens worldwide: from his beginnings with Django, which became a true icon, to intense roles in The Day of the Owl, up to performances in Querelle de Brest and international productions like Die Hard 2, Franco Nero has crossed generations and different styles carrying with him a unique Italian style, which however his country for too long did not recognize. Precisely for this reason, as the Ministry of Culture, we strongly supported this candidacy and its rightful recognition. This star is a milestone that values not only an extraordinary career but the entire Italian ability to pursue a dream, if one truly believes in it.”
Franco Nero declared, “Receiving the star on the Walk of Fame is an immense honor that I welcome with deep gratitude and emotion. This recognition is a personal milestone, but it is also a tribute to all the directors, actors, technicians, and collaborators with whom I have had the privilege to work throughout my career. I have always believed in the universal power of cinema, capable of uniting cultures and different generations. Knowing that my artistic path has left such an important mark fills me with pride and pushes me to look to the future with the same passion and determination as always. I thank Italy, the Ministry of Culture, and Senator Lucia Borgonzoni for the support they have given me, and naturally Tiziana Rocca, director of Filming Italy – Los Angeles, who promoted this honor. I dedicate this star to my family, who have always been by my side, and to the audience worldwide who have followed and supported my work with affection and loyalty. Without them, none of this would have been possible.”
Director Julian Schnabel added, “It was a great pleasure to work with my dear friend, the great actor and philanthropist Franco Nero, and it was a great honor to participate in the inauguration ceremony of his star on the Walk of Fame, a more than deserved recognition!”
An undisputed icon of Italian and international cinema, Franco Nero boasts an extraordinary career spanning over six decades of film history and more than 200 productions. A charismatic, intense, and versatile actor, he has worked with some of the world’s greatest directors, from Sergio Corbucci to Luis Buñuel, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and Quentin Tarantino. Unforgettable in the role of Django, which consecrated him as a legend of the Italian western, Nero has constantly reinvented himself, moving with elegance from auteur films to major popular successes, and from theater to television. Gifted with a magnetic presence and rare artistic rigor, he is a reference point for generations of performers and embodies the greatness of Italian cinema worldwide.
Other highlights of this year’s festival included a special tribute to maestro Giovanni Allevi, presented following the screening of the documentary Giovanni Allevi: Back to Life, in which the maestro shares his personal journey of resilience and recovery. The festival also honored iconic film actress Juliette Binoche with the Best Director Debut Award for her documentary In-I in Motion, in which she directed and stars.
The eleventh edition of Filming Italy – Los Angeles, created and directed by Tiziana Rocca (Agnus Dei), in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, directed by Emanuele Amendola, took place from February 10 to 14, 2026, under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles. The festival confirms its role as a showcase for Italian cinema and audiovisual production in the United States.
Photos Courtesy of Filming Italy – Los Angeles. Featured photo: Julian Schnabel, Tiziana Rocca, Franco Nero
